Bizarre with Mick Molloy and Titus O’Reily

In Part 1 of the Brazilian Strikers series, Titus O'Reily is joined by Adam Rozenbachs to dive into the wild world of Brazilian football (soccer), unpacking the brilliance and chaos of Romário and Ronaldo Nazário - two generational strikers who redefined goalscoring while testing the limits of discipline. From World Cup heroics to late night escapades, it’s a hilarious and fascinating look at talent, ego, and the question that lingers over both careers: just how great could they have been? If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Japanese zoo staff go to wild lengths, literally dressing up as pandas and even getting fed by visitors to cope with the departure of their last real bears. Meanwhile, in nature’s weird league, butterflies are rocking eyes on their genitals ... defence or just pure chaos? If you’d like more Animal Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kidnapped on the eve of the Havana Grand Prix, Juan Manuel Fangio becomes an unlikely “guest” of Castro’s rebels as they use the world’s greatest driver to send a message to the regime of Fulgencio Batista. As chaos unfolds across Havana, the race goes ahead without him ... with devastating consequences that turn a spectacle into tragedy. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Adam Rozenbachs teams up with Titus O'Reily as they dive into Sweden’s strict new rules for cat owners, aviary mishaps at Titus’ place and a Sicilian dog helping with illegal rubbish runs. If you’d like more Animal Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 1958 Cuba, Formula One legend Juan Manuel Fangio arrived in Havana expecting fast cars, big prize money and glamorous nightlife. Instead, on the eve of the race, rebels fighting the regime of Fulgencio Batista pulled off one of the most audacious kidnappings in sporting history.  In Part 1, we explore the explosive mix of motorsport, mafia money, revolution and how the road to the Havana Grand Prix ran straight through the chaos of the Cuban Revolution. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the explosive final chapter of the series, Titus and Mick unravel murder, mystery and mayhem inside cycling’s greatest race, as tragedy and suspicion threaten to tear the Tour de France apart. As Henri Desgrange fights back with radical reforms that reshape the sport forever, scandal and survival collide in a finale you won’t believe. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A two minute tyre penalty sparks a full blown war between Henri Pélissier and the Tour’s tyrannical founder. Riders set off at 2am over cratered, post-war roads… and one man finishes the race half-blind with a glass eye. Part 4 dives into rebellion, brutal rules, Belgian domination and the kind of “suffering” that makes modern cycling look comfortable. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Broken bikes, brutal rules and a race that seems to hate its own riders - Part 3 is peak Tour madness. The line between endurance and punishment completely disappears.  If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Tour de France was born brutal. In Part 2 of this series, Mick and Titus unpack cheating, sabotage, insane mountain stages and the mad rules that turned cycling into pure chaos.  If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Titus and Mick dive into the origins of cycling media, power struggles, and the unlikely characters who set the stage for the Tour de France. Politics, grudges, newspapers and bikes collide - and this is only the beginning. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A baseball promotion, a radio stunt, and a cultural war collide at Comiskey Park in 1979. What started as “Disco Sucks Night” turns into one of the most infamous riots in sports history. Records explode, fans storm the field, and a doubleheader dies in chaos. Titus and Mick unpack the night the disco went up in smoke and baseball lost control. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Albert Griffiths, or ‘Young Griffo’ began life in the slums of Sydney as the leader of a local street gang. This proved to be the perfect training for boxing, and before he was twenty, he was the World Featherweight Champion. Moving to the United States, Young Griffo would become one of the greatest boxers of all time, despite never training and rarely fighting sober. In a career spanning 232 fights, Girffo would lose only nine, despite multiple arrests and stints in bot jail and various asylums. Titus and Mick look at one of the greatest boxers of all time, whose life which was stranger out of the ring than in it. He more than deserves his spot in the Sports Bizarre Hall of Fame. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

By the time Jimmy White was 13, he was skipping school and travelling around England in a black cab to play snooker and hustle adults out of their money. Turning professional, Jimmy quickly became the most beloved snooker player in the world while living a lifestyle that involved month-long benders with Phil Lynott from Thin Lizzy, UB40, Ronnie Wood and Keith Richards. Titus O'Reily and Mick Molloy examine the career of one of the greatest snooker players of all time, a man who lost six World Championship Finals and once took his dead brother on a pub crawl. He is a fitting addition to the Sports Bizarre Hall of Fame. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Timothy John Rossovich was a star defensive end and linebacker at the University of Southern California and the Philadelphia Eagles, but it was off the field where his genius shone. Rossovich was famous for surreal pranks that included chewing glass, setting himself on fire and opening his mouth in a meeting to speak, only for a sparrow to fly out. After football, Rossovich would go on to be an actor and stuntman, appearing in "MacGyver," "Baywatch," "The Love Boat," "Knight Rider," "Charlie's Angels," "Remington Steele," "Soap," and "The A-Team." He earns his spot in the Sports Bizarre Hall of Fame. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Golfer John Daly may be one of the most relatable sportspeople ever, having once said, “I don’t think I’ve ever stepped in the gym – they won’t let me smoke there.” Daly took the golfing world by storm, winning the 1991 PGA Tournament with his impossibly long drives. Off the course, Daly racked up marriages, scandals and suspensions far faster than he ever won tournaments. He's a first-round ballot entry into the Sports Bizarre Hall of Fame. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you've never heard of Jese Rodruguez, prepare to be entertained. Jese Rodriguez was a future star in the soccer world, but things like a music career and discovering he was a father via Instagram sent things sideways. Despite a career that included stints at Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, it was off the field Jese shone, like when he spent €5,000 on text messages to vote an ex-girlfriend off the show Big Brother. He is a worthy entry to the Sports Bizarre Hall of Fame. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our next inductee is an easy entry to the Sports Bizarre Hall of Fame. No athlete was like Rube Wadell. One of the greatest pitchers of all time, Rube's exploits on the field paled to his off-the-field antics. From chasing fire tracks, training geese to jump rope or leaving games to go fishing, Rube became the most popular baseballer of his age. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Perhaps no other Formula One Driver has captured the imagination of racing fans as much as James Hunt. For a man who said, “my first priority is to finish above rather than beneath the ground," he spent an enormous amount of his early career crashing. James Hunt, race car driver, international playboy and keen breeder of budgerigars, is a worthy addition to the Sports Bizarre Hall of Fame. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's time to induct some of our favourite ever characters to the Sports Bizarre Hall of Fame! There is no great honour in sport. Our first inductee encapsulates everything you'd want in a Hall of Fame member: pure shenanigans. Carlos Kaiser had one of the longest careers in Brazilian football, joining all the big four clubs Botafogo, Fluminense, Flamengo, and Vasco da Gama, plus stints in Mexico, Argentina and France. However, what made Kaiser’s career remarkable was not its length or being part of so many top sides but the fact that he never played a single game. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Titus sits down with cricket commentators Adam Collins and Geoff Lemon from The Final Word podcast to talk all things cricket and chaos. Fresh off the release of their new book Bedtime Tales for Cricket Tragics, the pair share stories, insights, and plenty of laughs for fans of the game. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Part 3 of the Bodyline series, Titus and Mick cover the explosive Adelaide Test, where Bodyline peaked in controversy, leaving Woodfull and Oldfield battered and the crowd near riot. They also explore the series’ fallout - political tensions, media scandals, and the MCC’s response that changed cricket laws forever. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Bodyline saga heats up as England’s short-pitched assault intensifies and Australia reels from controversy on and off the field. This episode explores the moments that pushed players, officials, and nations to breaking point. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mick and Titus tackle the burning issues of our time: camels cheating in beauty pageants with Botox, and investigate if pig milk is actually thing. If you’d like more Animal Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Part 1 of the Bodyline series, Titus and Mick reveal how Bradman’s unstoppable rise and Douglas Jardine’s growing hatred lit the fuse for cricket’s most explosive controversy. By the end, Jardine thinks he’s cracked Bradman - and starts plotting a plan that will shake the sport to its core. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mick and Titus give us an update on Valerie the dachshund, who’s now juggling VIP appearances, book plans and even her own beer. Meanwhile, rodeo bulls run wild through the streets of Pakenham as cowboys on horseback scramble to chase them down. If you’d like more Animal Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Titus and Mick continue to explore the fiery birth of The Ashes on this episode of Sports Bizarre. Discover how Fred Spofforth’s legendary bowling, a cheeky obituary, and a few unexpected twists sparked a cricket rivalry that still burns today. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's a canine flavoured chaos fest as Mick and Titus tackle parakeets smuggled in jocks and a dog who accidental pulled the trigger. If you’d like more Animal Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Titus and Mick take you back to the birth of the Ashes, where beers, betting and angry crowds shaped cricket more than talent ever did. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, lab monkeys go rogue after a truck crash, one’s still on the run, and a bloke with a few pints too many mistakes a tiger for a slightly larger house cat. Just another normal week in the animal kingdom - and on Animal Bizarre! If you’d like more Animal Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Titus is joined by special guest Dan Liebke, author of “The 50 Most Ridiculous Ashes Moments.” With the Ashes just around the corner, they dive into cricket’s funniest, weirdest, and downright stupidest moments - from the hilarious to the completely insane. Because when it comes to the Ashes, the drama isn’t just on the scoreboard. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Finance journalist Chris Kohler joins Titus to discuss his new book How They Get You, about how companies get you to part with your money. They cover the history of Frequent Flyer Points, the real cost of home delivery apps, and why there is an estimated $US27 billion currently sitting on lost gift cards. Chris' book is out November 11 and can be purchased here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the early 1970s, Tony Murphy, a millionaire builder from Cork, Ireland, had an idea of how to fleece the English bookies for millions. So he gathered some of his mates in a pub, and soon they were executing one of racing's greatest ever stings. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Frederick Charles Standish left England in 1852 under a false name and fleeing moneylenders. Landing in Melbourne, he was forced to live on the goldfields and run a sly grog business. Yet, just six years later, he would be the colony's Chief Commissioner of police, be a pallbearer at Robert O’Hara Burke's funeral, invent the Melbourne Cup, become a key player in the formation of the VRC and lead, very unsuccessfully, the hunt for Ned Kelly.   Titus O'Reily and Mick Molloy examine the life of one of Australia's strangest characters, a man who paused the hunt for Ned Kelly while the weights of the Melbourne Cup were declared. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mick and Titus discuss a Canadian park wanting to send 30 Beluga whales to China, and Otters stealing surfboards. If you’d like more Animal Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Sports Bizarre, Titus and Mick discuss one of sports greatest pranks, the time Swedish soccer player Anders Limpar was tricked into believing he’d time-travelled two years into the future. From fighter jets to fake news reports, this elaborate hoax has to be heard to be believed. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Croatian snake learns why alcohol and biting don't mix and animals push for Oscars and hitting the red carpet - Mick and Titus break it all down. If you’d like more Animal Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the final part of Norman Selby's story, Titus and Mick cover his fall from Hollywood fame to scandal, prison, and a tragic end. It’s the remarkable conclusion to one of sport’s most unbelievable lives. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In part two of The Real McCoy series, Titus and Mick unravel the next chapter of Norman Selby’s life - as a string of marriages and chaos follow him both inside and outside the ring. From fixed fights and failed fortunes to diamond smuggling and Hollywood connections, this episode proves that his life was as unbelievable as his legend. His story only gets wilder from here, so buckle up and stay tuned for part three. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mick and Titus are back and this episode is a ripper! From the shark attack survivor who drove himself to the hospital to the "comb over lion" - the king of the jungle with a slightly dodgy hairline.  If you’d like more Animal Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Titus and Mick kick off the wild story of Norman Selby, the boxer who gave us the phrase “the real McCoy.” From hopping trains to world champion, he invented the corkscrew punch (thanks to a kitten) and mastered trickery inside the ring. Part One sets the stage for a career as bizarre as it gets. When we come back, Norman Selby is stepping up for the heavyweight title - one of the most corrupt championships in boxing history. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.